


Again (Family pt. 3)

by infernalstars



Series: Neil Loves Dinosaurs [10]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Autistic Neil Josten, M/M, Neil Josten is a Little Shit, OC, Protective Neil Josten, Sassy Neil Josten, Soft Andrew Minyard, andrew is healing, neil loves dinos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26652775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infernalstars/pseuds/infernalstars
Summary: The Resolution
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Neil Loves Dinosaurs [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872259
Comments: 5
Kudos: 171





	Again (Family pt. 3)

**Author's Note:**

> big fat trigger warning for rape and sexual assault !!!! 
> 
> um can be bothered to reread so im sorry if its shit but uh yeah

Andrew stared across the table. 

Henry’s head was down, music audible from his headphones. He scribbled out a math equation and started plugging in numbers. Andrew watched. 

Henry shifted uncomfortably, sensing his gaze. He pushed on through the formula.

Another moment passed. 

Andrew didn’t know what to say. What could he possibly say? I’m sorry? That was bullshit. It would do nothing to fix what had happened. It would do nothing to cure the fact that Henry thought Andrew wouldn’t believe him. 

Finally Henry yanked out his headphones. He set his pencil down and crossed his arms. 

“What?” he deadpanned. 

“Neil told me the truth,” he said quietly. “About Sam.”

Henry’s face softened. “I’m sorry.”

“The fuck are you apologizing for?” Andrew asked. 

Henry just opened and closed his mouth before slumping back. “It was just a few times. It’s not a big deal.”

“He assaulted you.”

Henry shrugged. “Guys don’t get assaulted. It’s fine.”

“The word ‘fine’ is banned in this house.”

“I thought the only rule was not to kill anyone.”

“Yeah, for you. Neil has a couple other rules. The banning of the word ‘fine’ also applies to you now,” Andrew said.

Henry simply rolled his eyes. “What’re you going to do? Tell the school? They don’t even do shit when a girl comes forward with solid proof of rape. Spoiler alert: They won’t do jack shit for me.”

His tone was harsh. He all but spat the words at Andrew. 

“The world won’t do jack shit for you. You have to do shit yourself.”

Andrew drew a knife from his arm bands. He rarely carried knives in them anymore, but he needed them today. The weight of them felt familiar. 

He slid it across the table. 

“You want me to kill Sam because he kissed me.”

“He didn’t kiss you. He assaulted you.”

“I didn’t stop him.”

“You said no.”

Henry eyed the knife. He looked up at Andrew again. He cocked his head to the side, waiting for an answer. 

“To protect yourself.”

“Do you always carry knives on you?”

“No. I used to...Would you like to know why?”

Henry waited expectantly. 

“When I was younger my foster brother raped me,” Andrew said. The words tasted bitter in his mouth. He forced himself to focus on the pencil on the table, not the memories bubbling up. 

“Jesus, Andrew. I—“

“Don’t say you're sorry. It happened. He’s not a problem anymore.”

“He’s in jail,” he guessed.

Andrew fought the smile that threatened to split his face. “Dead.”

Henry was silent. “So you're giving me this knife—“

“In case Sam or anyone tries shit.”

“What happened to our one rule?”

Andrew shrugged. “If someone tries to touch you without their consent I don’t give a shit what you do. I know some pigs.”

“Some cops,” Henry amended.

“Sure.”

Henry frowned, looking down at the table. “I’m scared he’ll keep pushing and get sick of hearing no.”

Andrew leaned forward. “I’ll kill him if he does. Until then, Neil’s going to go talk to Sam’s parents. And Sam—“

“Is that where he is? I—“

“And we’re going to talk to the school. Sam is to be transferred out of your classes—“

“Andrew—“

“What?”

“Why are you sending Neil though? You’re the scary one.”

“Why do you think that?”

Henry shrugged. “I don’t know. You seem more violent and angry. Neil just observes.”

“He’s better with his words.”

Henry just nodded slowly. Unconvinced but accepting of this.

Andrew didn’t blame him. Henry’s seen Neil be rendered unable to use words, only able to use sign language. He’s never seen his interviews from his exy days. He didn’t take shit from those reporters. 

He could scare people. 

“Andrew?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Andrew was getting soft. He realized this when he smiled at Henry. He would kill for this kid. He’d set the whole world on fire for him. 

-

Andrew laid in bed in a cocoon of blankets. 

Neil stepped into the room and froze. He shook out his hands. Andrew wasn’t okay.

He moved next to Andrew kneeling in front of him.

“I told Henry about Drake. And he won’t get out of my head. And I can’t stop—I don’t want it to happen to Henry. I want to tell him he’ll be okay but I can’t protect him from everything.”

Andrew sniffled and scrubbed at his face. It must be bad if he’s crying.

“I called Bee. I didn’t know what else to do but she can’t fit me in until tomorrow…”

“I’m glad you called Bee. That’s good,” he said. 

“You talk to Sam’s mom?”

Neil nodded. “She wasn’t completely convinced until the brother said he saw them at the game.”

“And?” 

“He’s grounded. I talked to his mom about removing Sam from Henry’s classes and she said she’d handle it,” Neil said. 

“Sounds too good to be true,” Andrew said. “No one ever believes the victim.”

“Survivor,” Neil corrected, studying him carefully. 

“I have Henry a knife,” he said. 

“You gave our prone to violence son a knife,” Neil commented, not critically, just an observation. 

“Don’t be a hypocrite.”

Neil let out a quiet laugh. “I got some good news on the way back.”

Andrew looked up at him, waiting. 

“I got offered a T.A. position at the college downtown. They want me to get my PHD and be a professor for the Paleontology department.”

“Neil, that’s amazing,” Andrew said. “Are you going to take it?”

“We’re lucky right now,” Neil said. “You’re on a team where taking a job like this makes sense. You’ll be here. What if you get transferred? I don’t want to be away from you.”

“Neil—“

“I love you and I can’t take a job where I run the risk of losing you.”

“You’re never going to lose me, okay? When will you get that? If you stay, I stay, idiot.”

Neil blushed, falling silent. He looked down at his hands, smiling happily. 

“Stop smiling like that,” Andrew mumbled, curling up in his little cocoon. 

“Do you want to be alone,” he asks. 

Andrew hesitated but nodded. “Can...Can you get one of the cats?”

Neil nods. “Anything else?” 

Andrew shook his head no. Neil walked off into the living room where the cats were usually hiding. Sir was lounging on top of the cat tower and King was gazing out the window. Neil reached up to Sir, holding out his hand before scooping up the cat and carrying him to their room. 

He set the cat on the edge of the bed. 

“I’m out here if you need me, okay?” Neil said before going to close the door. 

“Neil?” Andrew called out. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, ‘Drew.” 

He closed the door and turned around to find Henry standing directly behind him. He jumped. 

“Hey,” he said, stepping around him and walking down the hall to the stairs. 

Henry followed him. “Is he okay?” 

“No,” Neil said honestly. 

He walked into the kitchen to make something for lunch. Henry sat at the island. 

“He told me about his foster brother,” Henry said quietly. 

Neil held up a box of mac and cheese to Henry who nodded. Neil put water on. 

“That’s very big for him, don’t take it for granted.” 

“I’m not, I’m just pissed that someone would do that.” 

Neil nodded. “Understandably so.”

Henry frowned. “How did he die?” 

“Aaron killed him,” Neil shrugged. 

“Like Andrew’s brother Aaron? The doctor? The homophobic asshole doctor?” 

Neil snorted a laugh and nodded. “Yeah. I’m not sure what Andrew really wants you to know. You’ll have to ask him about it someday.” 

Henry nodded. “Have you...no ones ever....done anything like that to you?”

“Nicky kissed me one time when Andrew drugged me--” 

“Andrew did what?” 

“He wanted to know if he could trust me. I was a very good liar.” 

“Nicky kissed you?” Henry asked. 

Neil shrugged. “Yeah, tried to force this cracker dust in my mouth. It’s this--” 

“Neil, that’s really fucked up--” 

“I forgave him--” 

“You’re a fucking hypocrite!” Henry exclaimed. “He assaulted you. Andrew drugged you, Neil. What the hell?” 

Neil flinched at the yelling. He lowered his eyes, trying to fight the urge to run and hide from the yelling. 

“Don’t you get that!” 

“I’m not stupid, Henry!” Neil snapped. 

Henry looked surprised at the outburst. 

“I’m not fucking stupid but it happened when I was nineteen, it’s been almost fifteen years. I’ve made my fucking peace with it and I fail to see how something that Andrew and I have worked through and past is any of your business,” Neil said, surprisingly calm and distrubingly like his father. 

Henry sat back. “I see what Andrew meant about you being good with words.” 

Neil looked down at the counter. “Henry. I appreciate the concern, but it’s fine. I’m fine.” 

“Andrew says not to trust you when you say that.” 

Neil laughed, adding the pasta to the boiling water. “He’s probably right.” 

Henry sat silently at the island watching him. Neil didn’t mind. He worked efficiently to make their food. 

He left some leftovers for Andrew when he inevitably felt a bit better and got hungry. 

For now he spent the rest of the day watching a movie. The two of them were content to do so without conversation. It wasn’t necessary. Andrew had taught Neil that a long time ago: speaking wasn’t always necessary for communication. 

He found comfort in that, especially in days when talking was hard. 

That night he climbed into bed and Andrew rolled over, still in his cocoon. 

“I missed you,” Andrew


End file.
